Polybius, Histories

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Book 11 - Chapter 14

1
<w lemma="%2Adio%5C">Διὸ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="%2Amaxani%2Fda%7C">Μαχανίδᾳ</w> <w lemma="ceniko%5Cn">ξενικὸν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29kqu%2Fmws">ἐκθύμως</w> <w lemma="a%29gwni%2Fzesqai">ἀγωνίζεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="biai%2Fws">βιαίως</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mhde%5C">μηδὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29fedreu%2Fontas">ἐφεδρεύοντας</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="ce%2Fnois">ξένοις</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illuriou%5Cs">Ἰλλυριοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qwraki%2Ftas">θωρακίτας</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnasqai">δύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Ffodon">ἔφοδον</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pomei%3Dnai">ὑπομεῖναι</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kpiesqe%2Fntas">ἐκπιεσθέντας</w> <w lemma="feu%2Fgein">φεύγειν</w> <w lemma="protropa%2Fdhn">προτροπάδην</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amantinei%2Fas">Μαντινείας</w>, <w lemma="a%29pexou%2Fshs">ἀπεχούσης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="e%28pta%5C">ἑπτὰ</w> <w lemma="stadi%2Fous">σταδίους</w>.
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<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29ni%2Fois">ἐνίοις</w> <w lemma="a%29porou%2Fmenon">ἀπορούμενον</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsin">πᾶσιν</w> <w lemma="o%28mologou%2Fmenon">ὁμολογούμενον</w> <w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sumfane%2Fs">συμφανές</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="plei%3Dsta">πλεῖστα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flemon">πόλεμον</w> <w lemma="sunteloume%2Fnwn">συντελουμένων</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="h%28goume%2Fnwn">ἡγουμένων</w> <w lemma="e%29mpeiri%2Fan">ἐμπειρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="a%29peiri%2Fan">ἀπειρίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pitelei%3Dtai">ἐπιτελεῖται</w>.
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<w lemma="me%2Fga">μέγα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fsws">ἴσως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="proterh%2Fmatos">προτερήματος</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="labo%2Fnta">λαβόντα</w> <w lemma="prosqei%3Dnai">προσθεῖναι</w> <w lemma="ta%29ko%2Flouqon">τἀκόλουθον</w>, <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mei%3Dzon">μεῖζον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sfale%2Fnta">σφαλέντα</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftais">πρώταις</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolai%3Ds">ἐπιβολαῖς</w> <w lemma="mei%3Dnai">μεῖναι</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunidei%3Dn">συνιδεῖν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="eu%29tuxou%2Fntwn">εὐτυχούντων</w> <w lemma="a%29krisi%2Fan">ἀκρισίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunepiqe%2Fsqai">συνεπιθέσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="a%28marth%2Fmasin">ἁμαρτήμασιν</w>.
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<w lemma="i%29dei%3Dn">ἰδεῖν</w> <w lemma="gou%3Dn">γοῦν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Fdh">ἤδη</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dntas">δοκοῦντας</w> <w lemma="peproterhke%2Fnai">πεπροτερηκέναι</w> <w lemma="met%27">μετ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fgon">ὀλίγον</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flois">ὅλοις</w> <w lemma="e%29sfalme%2Fnous">ἐσφαλμένους</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxai%3Ds">ἀρχαῖς</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcantas">δόξαντας</w> <w lemma="e%29ptaike%2Fnai">ἐπταικέναι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="metabolh%3Ds">μεταβολῆς</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3Dn">αὑτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29gxi%2Fnoian">ἀγχίνοιαν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fla">ὅλα</w> <w lemma="parado%2Fcws">παραδόξως</w> <w lemma="katwrqwko%2Ftas">κατωρθωκότας</w>.
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<w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="profanw%3Ds">προφανῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29do%2Fkei">ἐδόκει</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%28gemo%2Fnas">ἡγεμόνας</w> <w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frous">ἀμφοτέρους</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w>.
6
<w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="cenikou%3D">ξενικοῦ</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29gkekliko%2Ftos">ἐγκεκλικότος</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaioi%3Ds">Ἀχαιοῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paralelume%2Fnou">παραλελυμένου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="laiou%3D">λαιοῦ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Frws">κέρως</w>, <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2Amaxani%2Fdas">Μαχανίδας</w> <w lemma="a%29fe%2Fmenos">ἀφέμενος</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fnein">μένειν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pokeime%2Fnwn">ὑποκειμένων</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fras">κέρας</w> <w lemma="u%28perai%2Frein">ὑπεραίρειν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fswpon">πρόσωπον</w> <w lemma="a%29panta%3Dn">ἀπαντᾶν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="peira%3Dsqai">πειρᾶσθαι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w>,
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<w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpracen">ἔπραξεν</w>, <w lemma="a%29kratw%3Ds">ἀκρατῶς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meirakiwdw%3Ds">μειρακιωδῶς</w> <w lemma="sunekxuqei%5Cs">συνεκχυθεὶς</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%3D">ἑαυτοῦ</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frois">μισθοφόροις</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fkeito">ἐπέκειτο</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="feu%2Fgousin">φεύγουσιν</w>, <w lemma="w%28%2Fsper">ὥσπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="fo%2Fbon">φόβον</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%5Cn">ἱκανὸν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fnta">ὄντα</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpac">ἅπαξ</w> <w lemma="e%29gkli%2Fnantas">ἐγκλίναντας</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fxri">ἄχρι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pulw%3Dn">πυλῶν</w> <w lemma="sundiw%2Fkein">συνδιώκειν</w>.
So it was at present also. The mercenaries of Machanidas fought with such desperate courage and force that the Illyrians and cuirassed troops who supported the mercenaries could not resist the attack, but all gave way and fled in disorder towards <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>, which was seven stades distant.
This occasion afforded evidence sufficient to convince all of what some have doubted, the fact that most results in war are due to the skill or the reverse of the commanders.
It is perhaps a great feat to follow up initial success, but it is a much greater one upon meeting with reverse at the outset to keep cool-headed, to be able to detect any lack of judgement on the part of the victors and take advantage of their errors.
Indeed we often see those who already seem to have gained the day totally worsted shortly afterwards, and those who at first seemed to have lost it unexpectedly turn the tables and restore the situation by their dexterity.
This was very clearly illustrated by the conduct of both the two commanders on the present occasion.
For when the whole Achaean mercenary force gave way and their left wing was broken, Machanidas, instead of remaining on the field to outflank the enemy on one side and by a direct attack on the other to strike a decisive blow, did neither,
but with childish lack of self-control rushed forward to join his own mercenaries and fall upon the fugitives, as if terror alone were not sufficient to drive them as far as the gate once they had given way.